Richard Smith

Corporate Director Adult Social Care and Health (interim)

Roles and responsibilities

Richard's main responsibilities are to:

discharge the statutory obligations of the Director of Adult Social Services, working in partnership to enable integration of health and social care provision. Ensuring the delivery of the government's Five Year Forward View on the future of health and social care

identify, lead and commission strategies to deliver the council’s and government’s vision for the provision of health and social care to adults, children and young people with a disability. To ensure all relevant partnerships across Kent are working together to meet the needs of the people living in Kent

provide strategic support for safeguarding bodies; ensuring that adult’s safeguarding is a corporate priority that protects vulnerable adults from abuse or risk of abuse

working in partnership with health, housing, independent sector providers and voluntary and community organisations to commission and provide inclusive person centred care and support within the local communities in Kent

act as the council’s lead Caldicott Guardian; ensuring that the principles are incorporated into the council’s policies, procedures and practice.

Biography

Richard was appointed as the Interim Corporate Director for Adult Social Care and Health in April 2020 and holds the statutory function of the Director of Adult Social Services (DASS) for the council, with responsibility for the social care and support needs for the vulnerable adults of Kent.

Richard has a wealth of experience working in both local authority and voluntary sector settings as well as across the wider health arena. He has also been responsible for leading on a range of major transformation projects and most recently has overseen the successful implementation of the new adult social care case management system for the council.